Riddle Me This
by pixi-styx1221
Summary: I'm Jessica and this is my twin, Nathaniel, or Nate." "What is your last name?" Both children froze, and Harry nodded in encouragement. "Our last name," they said slowly. "Is..." R&R plz! flames welcome!
1. Prologue

"Daddy, Daddy!" The little girl screamed as she ran into her father and mother's bedroom.

"What is it, baby?" Her father asked sleepily, lifting his head off his pillow.

"Bad people come through Floo. They mad." She scrambled onto her parents' bed as her mother slowly came awake. Her father turned on his bedside lamp and gasped at the state of his daughter.

"Good Lord have mercy! What did they do to you?" Her mother gasped.

"Pretty colors hurt." The child whimpered, cuddling into her father's side. The small family jumped as they heard shouts and screams from the invaders.

Her mother leaped out of bed and began warding the door in a desperate attempt to save her child and husband, and her father took her into a secret room. Normally, the little girl would have been excited, but she was afraid of these mysterious and cruel people.

"Alright, baby. I want you to do something for Daddy. Throw this in the fire and step in only when it is green. Then shout Malfoy Manor, okay baby? Will you do it for Daddy?"

"What about you and Mama?" The girl asked, clinging to her parent.

"Mommy will come through soon. Just be nice to the pretty lady and man on the other side. Do it for Daddy, baby. Go now, Mommy will be through soon." He gently pushed her towards the fireplace.

"But what about you?" She wailed.

"Do it, baby girl! Do it for me!" He pleaded. The girl sniffled and followed her father's instructions. She began to spin out of view but not before she saw the door blasted inwards and her father hit by a flying piece of wood.

"Daddy! DADDY!"


	2. Discoveries

"Nooo!" The now thirteen year old girl screamed, falling to the floor with an audible thump. The door to her compartment slid open revealing a dark haired boy.

"Hey, are you alright?" The boy asked, kneeling down next to her. She didn't answer, just took deep breaths. "Okay, that was a stupid question. Of course you're not alright." The boy answered himself. He watched her for a moment. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really," the girl muttered, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around her midsection. The boy didn't answer, opting to keep quiet and comfort her. Finally the girl sighed. "It was about the night my family was, well, destroyed. The last night we were ever _together_ as a family."

"Oh." The boy paused. "I can understand that."

"Can you?" The girl mused, not meeting his gaze.

"Yeah. I'm Harry, by the way." The girl finally looked up to meet his eyes. "Harry Potter." He held out his hand and she stared at it.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"Sorry about what?" Harry asked. Before she could answer, the compartment door opened again, this time letting in none other than Draco Malfoy. Both students stood up.

"Malfoy." Harry said tightly. The Slytherin inclined his head towards Harry, but kept his stare on the petite girl beside his rival.

"You're hanging out with the wrong sort, Jessica." Draco told the now furious girl. The child immediately straightened and her eyes blazed.

"Where is my brother, Draco?" She inquired quietly.

"Honestly, Jessie, you need to find some other friends than this…_thing_."

"Do not call me 'Jessie', Draconus Malfoy!" Jessica hissed. "Where is my brother?"

"Whoa, sis! I'm right here." A young boy stepped in and Jessica launched herself at him. The boy caught her and wrapped her in a hug while she buried her face in his shoulder. The girl's shoulders began to shake as she finally broke down. "Hey, sweetie. It's alright. I'm right here." The boy murmured into his sister's hair.

"Maybe it's best you go, Draco." The boy said. Malfoy began to protest but the boy cut him off. "NOW!" Malfoy quickly left the compartment and the boy sat down, pulling his still crying sister down with him.

Harry sat down across from the boy and stared at him. He seemed really familiar when he was ordering Malfoy about but Harry just couldn't put a finger on it.

"You are?" The boy asked after a while of silence.

"Harry Potter. I heard her screaming and wanted to check on her. She said it was something about the last time her family was together?" He made the last statement a question. The boy sighed.

"Yeah. She gets them a lot. I'd been sick, so I was in our parent's room so they could keep an eye on me when it happened. She heard them come in and went to tell our mum and dad what happened. We were carted off to the Malfoy's before we got too hurt, but I think something happened to her before that. I never really asked." He sighed again, then the other boy's name seemed to be processed and he paled. "Wait, _Potter_?"

"Yes, dodo brain, Potter." Jessica mumbled, pulling away from her brother.

"Would someone please fill me in?" Harry asked in an exasperated tone of voice.

"Welll…It's kind of hard to explain…" The boy delayed. Jessica just shook her head.

"You're making it harder than it is, Neil. Let me introduce ourselves. I'm Jessica. Jessica Riddle. And this retard right here is my twin, Nathaniel, or Nate. I'm the only one allowed to call him Neil."

Harry listened carefully and noticed immediately what had made them so uneasy. "Riddle? As in Tom Riddle?" The twins nodded. "As in _Voldemort_?" They winced and nodded again. "Wow. I didn't know he had any kids."

"It wasn't exactly supposed to be common knowledge, for our safety and our mother's." Nate muttered.

"Didn't exactly work out in the end anyways." Jessica sighed.

"So what was your nightmare about? Nathaniel wasn't very specific about it."

"When an organization attacked us at our house to kill Daddy. Like Neil said, he was sick and in our parent's room. I was just down the hall, but I saw them coming out of the Floo. I don't know what clued them in to where I was hiding, but they started sending curses at me. I ran into our parent's room and told them what happened. They quickly sent Neil through a private Floo in a room off Mama and Daddy's but I was hurt. Daddy had to close up some of my wounds before he could send me through, and then I was scared they wouldn't follow me.

"Mama disappeared that night. We both knew she wasn't killed. Daddy went crazy since he couldn't find Mama and couldn't take us in for fear of our safety. I don't know why he attacked you, but let me tell you right now, we didn't approve." Her voice hardened at the very end and Nathaniel nodded emphatically. Harry let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.

"I believe you." He said after a few minutes. "I don't know why, but I believe you." Jessica slumped against her seat.

"Thanks. It means a lot to me." Nathaniel snickered and she hit the back of his head. He glared at her but it had the desired effect.

"Why would it mean a lot to you?"

"Well, you're our father's supposed worst enemy. You forgiving us hopefully mean others can forgive us as well." Harry grimaced.

"I don't think that's possible, no offense. Just because I'm one of the ones who was hurt by him doesn't mean others will forgive him. I'm just able to forgive people more easily. But that doesn't exactly mean I'm going to ignore what he did to me."

"Perfectly understandable." Nate informed him. The compartment door opened again, this time admitting Ginny Weasley, who was panting.

"Ginny? What's wrong?" Harry questioned. The redheaded child immediately shushed him. Jessica and Nate snickered quietly as they heard footsteps running past.

"So. Who's so happy to see you?" Jessica asked after the students had run past.

"Oh, ha ha." The girl replied sarcastically, flopping down into one of the seats. "A Hufflepuff fifth year challenged me when I was talking back to my compartment. I hexed him and everyone in his compartment started chasing me." Jessica laughed, and Nate grinned. "So who are you?"

"We're transfers from Beauxbaton's and Durmstrang respectively, although we lived in America for first year. I'm Jessica and this is my brother, Nathaniel, or Nate."

"Surname?" Ginny inquired. Both kids froze and looked to Harry. He shrugged and nodded. "What was that all about?"

"Understand this before we tell you our name. We don't agree with our father's methods." Ginny gave them a puzzled look. "Our last name is Riddle." Nate told her slowly. Now it was Ginny's turn to freeze.

"Look, what happened two years ago? We didn't like it. To be completely honest, we hated what our dad did to you. And Harry. Our mum and dad got in this huge fight about his methods and Mama threatened to divorce him and take us away. Dad promised to not take an active part in anything else, but then these people attacked and our mum disappeared and Dad couldn't take us because he didn't want us to get hurt so he went kind of crazy." Nate rushed. Jessica just laughed.


	3. Snape's Speechless

Thanks for all the reviews, guys. I'm sorry it took so long, I had school and other stuff. I'll try to update often, but more reviews, with suggestions, are always welcome. Thanks!

pixi-styx1221

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Jessica POV:

By the time we got to the Great Hall, I was hyperventilating and Neil was trying to calm me down.

"Jessie! Jessie, relax. Listen to me, sis! Breathe in…out…in…out…in…out…" This continued until I was calm, which was about the time we entered the Great Hall. The line of names was really long and finally we were the only two left to be sorted. Dumbledore stood up.

"Now, we normally don't do this, but these two students are transfers from Beauxbaton's and Durmstrang respectively. They will be in year four and I hope you will welcome them. They're names are Jessica and Nathaniel Riddle. Nathaniel, you may be sorted first." Dumbledore's eyes lost their twinkle when he looked down at us and I flinched. Neil patted my shoulder and stepped up onto the dais.

After a long while, the Hat shouted, "Ravenclaw!" I smiled and clapped for him, and when I looked over at Harry and Ginny, they were grinning too.

"Jessica Riddle." Everyone fell silent as I nervously stepped forward. I shivered unconsciously, hating all the stares I felt. I turned around and sat on the stool and the Hat covered my eyes.

_Hmmm…Miss Riddle, is it? Very intelligent, I see much like your father and your brother…But Ravenclaw is not right. Let's see, loyal, cunning, and intelligent. Brave, too, oh yes, very brave._ The Hat murmured. I focused on my breathing.

_Slytherin is not right and I have already said Ravenclaw will not do. Hufflepuff might work…No, no, no, maybe Gryffindor. But still…Hufflepuff, hmmm… You are very loyal and hardworking. Better be…_

"GRYFFINDOR!" The Hat screamed. I giggled a little and jumped off the stool, taking off the Hat and handing it to Professor McGonagall. Then I skipped over to the Ravenclaw table and kissed my brother on the cheek before continuing to Gryffindor's table.

"Hey, Harry!" I chirped, plopping down next to him.

"Hey, Jessica! What's up?"

"The ceiling, duh!" I giggled. He stuck his tongue out at me and two of the people sitting across from him stared at us. "What?"

"How do you know Harry?" The red headed boy asked. I made sure I looked really serious.

"You really want to know?" I asked. The two nodded and Ginny watched me amusedly. Harry started to look a little scared. "Okay. Our parents signed a marriage contract when we were born. He's my betrothed." Harry admirably stayed sober as the red headed dude fell off his seat and the bushy haired girl looked at Harry, betrayed.

"Harry? Is that true?" She asked.

"Yes, Mione. I just met her this summer. You okay, Ron?" Harry asked, his lips twitching. Ginny was watching a couple of students down the table talk, and I could see her shoulders shaking.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Hermione cried.

"Harry, darling, would you please pass the potatoes?" I asked, resting my hand on Harry's arm. Ginny at that point, lost it completely. She'd been drinking her pumpkin juice and now proceeded to cough. I began to hit her back, putting on a concerned mask.

"Are you alright, Ginny?" Harry asked, still playing along. Ginny waved her hand at him and continued to cough for a few more minutes. "Okay, if you're sure. What was that you wanted, dear?" He turned to look at me.

"The potatoes, darling." I smiled brightly at him and he grinned back at me. I then turned to look at Ron and Hermione, who were still staring at us. "So how long have you known Harry?" I asked them.

"Four years now." Hermione said shortly. Ron just stared at Harry, looking extremely confused.

"Did you not trust us, Harry?" Ron asked. Hermione turned to look at him.

"I do, guys, honestly. But I just found out about a week before school and I had to go to the Ministry to pick her and her brother up. They just found out themselves." Harry replied. I smiled at his quick story. I heard footsteps behind me and I turned. Hermione looked up too.

"So you're her brother?" Hermione glared at me. I shrugged and smiled. Neil nodded. "Is it true that she's betrothed to Harry?"

"Uhhh…" Neil stuttered. I laughed at him and he glared at me. "Jessica Loraine Riddle!"

"Nathaniel Jacob Riddle!" I returned in a mocking voice. He hit the back of my head. "Hey! Meanie," I pouted.

"No, she's not betrothed. To anyone, as far as I know and I am extremely grateful for that. Whatever story she fed you was a complete lie." Hermione turned to glare at me and Harry. I squeaked.

"I was under the Imperious, I swear!"I shrieked, using Harry as my human shield. He in turn tried to grab a guy next to him for a human shield, but lost his balance, which sent us tumbling to the floor…

Right at the feet of none other than Professor Snape. Harry gulped and I heard a couple of sharp intakes of breath. I untangled myself from Harry and the other boy and stood up, giving Professor Snape a quick hug.

"Hi, Uncle Severus! How're you? How are your potions coming? Guess what? Last year, I got an O in all of my classes." I just kept rambling on as all the Houses watched on in amusement. Soon Neil joined in the conversation and we just talked, while Professor Snape glared at us.

"Quiet!" He barked. I stopped and looked up at him innocently.

"Yes, Uncle Severus?" Neil and I inquired at the same time. A muffled snicker came from the direction of the Head table and all three of us looked up to see Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall laughing behind their hands. Professor Snape groaned and glared at us. We smiled up at him.

"Never mind." He snarled, and stalked back up to the Head table. I sat down again and Ginny patted me on the shoulder.

"Priceless, Jessie, priceless!" She chortled and soon everyone else at our table was congratulating me and Neil for making Professor Snape speechless. I grinned and stood up to bow. Harry pulled me back down, giving the Head Table a pointed look. I turned and saw Professor Snape glaring at me. I scowled back at him for a bit, which seemed to take him by surprise, and then grinned. He turned away, only to see everyone in the Hall watching him with interest. I heard his groan even from a hundred feet away and he got up and stalked out of the Great Hall. I smiled; pleased I had reached one of my goals and went back to talking with Harry and the others.


	4. Replacements

The walk to the Gryffindor common room was loud and filled with laughter. Ginny and Jessie were still giggling over Jessie's major success at making Snape speechless. Soon after reaching the common room, the girls decided to get ready for bed.

"Harry…Mate, she's You-Know-Who's daughter," Ron began after Jessie, Ginny and Hermione had left. "She's more likely to turn you over to him and his Death Eaters than actually be your friend." Harry opened his mouth to speak, but before he could they heard a disdainful snort coming from the girl's dormitory stairs. Both whipped around and saw Jessie walking over to them in her nightgown.

"I'm sorry you see it that way, Ron." She said quietly. "But I can assure you, I would rather die than turn Harry over. Also, my father stopped really participating in that petty campaign the moment my brother and I were born. If he were still alive, he'd probably be looking for Mama." Ron scowled at her.

"Shut up!" He barked. Harry stepped in front of Jessie, the movement almost protective.

"Leave her alone, Ron! Honestly, she's done nothing to you. Why do you hate her so much?"

"She's a slimy snake, Harry. Why can't you see that?"

"Why can't you see that she's not in Slytherin, she's in Gryffindor? And here I thought griffins were creatures that guarded valuable items! That is what Gryffindor was partly named after you know!"

"Yeah, I do know!"

"Gryffindor's are supposed to defend their housemates!"

"I am! I'm defending you, aren't I?"

"From what?"

"Her!"

"How many times do I have-"

"Alright, enough!" Jessie stepped in between the arguing boys.

"Ron, I understand you don't like me or my father, and that's perfectly fine with me. But who Harry's friends with honestly doesn't concern you. Harry, thank you for defending me. I appreciate it, but I don't want you ruining your friendship with Ron because of who I am. If you two want to be childish, fine, go right ahead, but don't you dare do it in my presence!" She glared at the two and then turned to the others in the room who'd been listening in on their argument (but not the first part).

"As for you all! If one word of this reaches someone, anyone, outside this room or this house, I will take it to McGonagall! While I'm sure she wants us to win the House Cup, I'm also sure she doesn't want bullying in her house. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed, and you all might as well too, since we have school tomorrow. Now scatter!" She stomped away and Harry was suddenly reminded of her brother, whose temper was much shorter, but just as explosive. Ron watched Harry watch Jessie, and realized that however little time the two had known each other, the two were already very good friends. He huffed and went off to his own bed, feeling as if he were being replaced.

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Hey, guys! Thanks for all the reviews, I'm really grateful. This is my first story here, so all reviews are awesome. I keep forgetting to do this, so I'll say it now. ME NO OWN HP!!!! I'm just a hopeless fan. It's all I can talk about with my bffs! Well, that and how unfair our teachers and school hours are.

Okay, people! There's this pretty little button down there that wants to be pushed. You know you wanna do it…Do it… Do it… I said DO IT!!!!


	5. Shadow Ballet

Jessie POV:

I sat up in bed, gasping quietly. Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried to will away the recurring nightmare that had once again, haunted my sleep. I felt tears sliding down my face, but I didn't care. I was too scared to go back to sleep and everyone else was in bed, so no one would notice. I shivered and quickly grabbed my robe before heading down to the common room.

I let my feet guide me, closing my eyes and letting my pain and guilt wash over me before willing it to disappear. "Who's there?" A voice called. My eyes snapped open and I saw Harry pointing his wand at me.

"Jessie. Sorry, Harry, I didn't mean to startle you." I replied softly. I rubbed my eyes and let my hand drop.

"No, it's my fault for over reacting. Couldn't sleep?" I hesitantly nodded. He seemed to look more closely at me. "Hey, are you okay?" I shook my head and walked closer to the fire, needing the comforting heat to wash over me. Harry caught my arm as I stumbled over my own two feet.

"Was it that nightmare again?" Harry asked after a few minutes of watching the dancing flames make a shadow ballet on the wall in silence. My breath caught in my throat, and I glanced at him, slightly fearfully. "Relax, Jessie. Remember, I met you on the train after you'd had one." I forced my body to relax and nodded, the previous day's events slowly coming back to me.

"Only this time with more detail," I whispered, suppressing a sob. Harry watched me while I watched the fire, knowing I knew what he was doing. Then he put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close.

"It's alright to cry, you know," he whispered into my ear. "It's not showing that you're weak, it's showing that you're strong emough to admit defeat but also saying you're not out yet. Remember that, Jess. You may be down often, but you're never out."

"Even if I'm dead?" I asked, leaning into him. I felt him nod.

"Even if you're dead. My mum found a way to protect me even though she's dead, and so far it's worked." I snuggled closer to him, finding shelter under his shoulder, like a bird might under a tree.

"I wish I knew what happened to my mum," I sighed wistfully after a while.

"I thought she was dead," he replied. I shook my head, but didn't pull away. I felt safe wrapped up in his embrace, much like I did in my brother's.

"No. She was captured, but not killed. At least, I don't think so." I frowned. Harry gave me a squeeze.

"I'm sure she's fine and trying to find you much like you're trying to find her." He told me reassuringly. I looked up at him.

"Why are you always so nice to people?" I asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You've never said anything mean to me or Neil, even when I was pulling that prank on Ron and Hermione. Even when you were arguing with Ron, you weren't being downright awful."

"Then you haven't seen me fighting with Malfoy yet, or talking back to Snape." He smiled wryly. "I think I'm a bit of a terror to Snape's perfectly ordered life."

"Uncle Sev's always been a bit of a loner. His childhood wasn't the best, and he was bullied a lot in school. He now hates bullies and abuse. He's very opinionated and he stands up for what he believes in, even if he could get in trouble for it."

"Like saying I'm spoiled and rude and all that other crap?" I heard a hint of anger creep into his voice.

"He might say that to you, but he always punishes the houses fairly, same with grading. Slytherin is just a misunderstood house."

"How so?" I looked up but instead of seeing revenge I saw pure curiosity.

"Well, think of it this way. Slytherin's are known for being ambitious and sly. If you weren't ambitious, you wouldn't go anywhere in life, and slyness can get you out of a lot of trouble."

"True," Harry seemed to be taking it fine. Was his 'I hate Slytherin' thing just a mask?

"Here, I'll do it like this. I'll give a good thing about each house and a bad thing. Gryffindor first. Gryffindor's are really brave and that usually gives them the courage to stand up and keep fighting. But they're also impulsive, so they go with their instincts and fight, but they rush into things without thinking it through.

"Ravenclaws are really smart and can tell you a lot, but many of them just base what they know on fact. They never really go out and experience it for themselves. Hufflepuffs are loyal, and hard working, which is awesome because it means they'll get a good job later on, but sometimes Hufflepuffs are too loyal or work too much. If they're loyal to the wrong person, it could get them hurt, and if they're always working, they've never really lived their life.

"Slytherins are really ambitious so they'll go far and they are very secretive, which is good. But sometimes they're ambitions cloud their good sense and they do the wrong thing. This isn't saying Hufflepuffs can't be smart and Slytherins can't be brave, or that Gryffindors aren't loyal and Ravenclaws aren't ambitious. We're just sorted on which is our biggest trait."

"Yeah, I get the biggest trait thing. Did you know, I was almost sorted into Slytherin?"

"Bet Uncle Sev would've been overjoyed!" I giggled for a bit and then fell silent. I was warm, and safe and happy. The best feelings that you can get if you want to go to sleep, which I did…Still leaning on Harry.

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Like it? Love it? Ideas for a scene? I love hearing them, you know. And, updating all depends on your reviews and my schedule. However, giving me a flame or two telling me to get moving isn't disregarded (I actually listen!). Also, Voldemort, in case you haven't noticed, is going to be OOC, although he'll still try to take a stab at Harry, depending on how I do this. You know the drill, kiddies! Review!


	6. Where He Stands

Harry watched Jessie worriedly as she slumped up to her dorm, her book bag dragging behind her. He knew she'd hardly slept all week because of her recurring nightmares. He also knew that she was finding it hard to get accepted into Gryffindor because of Ron. Harry frowned and had to push down his rising anger at his best mate.

Jessie wasn't her father, and Ron persisted in thinking of her like that. Harry felt like he was losing his best mate to jealous tendencies. At least, that's what Harry thought. He couldn't think of any other reason for Ron to be acting that way.

_Speak of the devil…_Harry thought as the red headed boy walked into the common room and made a beeline for him.

"Hey, Harry, want to play some chess?" He asked. Harry looked up at his friend and shook his head.

"Sorry, Ron. I have Quidditch practice tonight and I want to get my Transfiguration essay done so I don't pull a late nighter. We have a test in Potion's tomorrow, remember?" Harry replied.

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, I don't want to fail. I mean, seriously, I'm thirteen and I'm not a baby. Hermione shouldn't have to do all my work for me, although I will admit to needing a lot of her help with this essay." Ron's face darkened with fury and Harry felt confused. "Why're you looking at me like that?"

"Because you're dumping me for some Slytherin chick!" He snapped hotly.

"What?"

"You always hang out with her! You're always doing homework, you never want to just hang out, and you act like she's the Queen of England! You never want to sneak out at night anymore and you never just want to go down to hang out on the Pitch!" Ron shouted. The common room was silent as they watched for Harry's reaction.

Harry thought about what he was going to say for a minute. "I'm sorry, Ron, I didn't know that I needed your permission to have other friends or to do my homework." He told him slowly. Ron swelled up with anger but Harry held up a hand. "No, Ron. Let me say my piece." Harry just stared at Ron for a while, as if he was just seeing him in the light of day.

"You're my first friend, Ron, you do know that right?" Ron nodded. "And you do know that when I say first I mean very first? I've never had a friend before you or Hermione. As a matter of fact, I've never even gotten to talk to other kids my age since Hogwarts, so this is all new to me. I don't know too much about how wizards do things in a friendship, but I do know this much: It takes two." Ron looked at Harry, confused. Actually, the entire common room looked confused.

"What I mean by this is I can't pull the weight of our friendship alone. You have to help. And sometimes, you have to know when to back off and let someone else carry half the load. That's what happened with Hermione, but instead, you just tried to dump all of it onto her. It was wrong, Ron. She deserves better.

"And what does it matter if I have a new friend?"

"She's a Slytherin!" Ron said hotly. Harry snorted.

"Yeah, you've said that. But if she really was a Slytherin, don't you think she'd be there and not here in Gryffindor?" Ron opened his mouth but Harry snapped. "Just shut up, Ron! Why can't you keep your bloody mouth shut? You don't always have to comment about something someone says, whether you are in the conversation or not! Some people just talk because they need to vent! Trying to interrupt and say your piece just annoys them!"

"Harry, why are you being so mean all of a sudden?" Ron said.

"Is this what you call mean? I's hate to see you when you get out into the real world, Ron. You'll be butchered."

"Whatever."

"This isn't something you can just ignore, Ron."

"I won't graduate for four years, Harry. What does it matter?"

"Wake up, Ron!" Harry shouted. "The world does not revolve around where you stand! When you finish school, you can't just go home to your mum and think she won't tell you to get the hell out and go live your own damn life! You have to think about what you want to do after school, because for years go by mighty fast, my friend!"

"Oh, whatever. I still don't see what this has to do with you hanging out with a Slytherin!" He spat the word like a curse.

"I'm more likely to be in Slytherin than her, Ron. As a matter of fact, I almost was. Are you now going to go and abandon me because I'm not purely Gryffindor? Guess what, Ron? You are going to face all kinds of people out there in the world when you come of age. Some of them are going to be nice and kind and others are going to be cruel and rude. Some will have power, some won't. Some will have money and fame, and still others won't. But it doesn't matter! Are you going to ask a potential employer, 'Hi, are you a Slytherin? Because if you are, I can't work under you.' They'll kick you out immediately!

"So when you have grown up and can look past other peoples' differences and all the bloody stereotypes in this world, come find me and I might consider being your friend again. Until then, shove off!" Harry whirled around and stormed up the stairs to his room, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Oh, my." They heard a voice say from the entrance to the common room. Everyone whirled around and noticed Professor McGonagall standing there. "I never knew Potter was such a passionate speaker. Now if only he would write like that in his essays."

"Professor, you heard him cursing! Give him a detention!" Ron exclaimed. McGonagall looked surprised.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Weasley, but I can't do that when he was obviously defending another student as well as trying to give you some advice. You, however, might need one. Another toe out of line and you'll have one every Saturday for the rest of the year. Understand?"

"What?!" Ron said aghast.

"You heard me. Now stop gaping like a fish and get started on your essay, it's due tomorrow." Then McGonagall walked over to the table Harry'd been working at and picked up his essay. Then she began to gather the rest of his things and put them neatly into his bags. "Will someone please run this up to Mr. Potter?" She asked.

"I will, Professor." Another voice said, this time from the girls' dormitory stairs. Jessie was standing there, swaying slightly, and looking pale and drawn. "I wanted to talk to him anyways."

"Thank you, Miss Riddle." McGonagall said. Then she frowned at the young girl and asked, "Are you feeling okay, Miss Riddle? Have you been getting enough to eat and sleep?" Jessie hesitated but nodded. "Alright. And five points to Gryffindor for helping out a classmate." Jessie smiled; she knew it was for both her and Harry.

She walked, more like floated, over to her Head of House, and took Harry's bag before continuing to his dormitory steps. Then she looked back. McGonagall had left and the students were slowly starting to mingle again. Ron was glaring at her furiously and she smiled at him. He looked taken aback.

The volume in the common room was still low enough that her voice easily drifted over the crowd and to Ron. "Now you know where he stands. What about you?"

Okay, my excuse is in my profile. I don't feel like repeating it, but I am really sorry for not updating for so long. Mermaid-girl34 is my friend Sarah and she's been on my but about this for the past month…I am a very bad influence. I have managed to convert her and many others to the Dark Side. MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Okay, better now.

I'm sorry this one is so short, but I've been running into a bit of a block on this chapter, so I tried to wrap it up at the end. It kind of rambles a bit and doesn't make much sense, but I would like to point out that Harry _never_ makes sense when he's angry. At least, not in my world. Oh, and the rant goes to my mom. She's always telling me to get my head out of the clouds and start doing something with my life. Which I am. The Wicked Witch of the West had a great idea when she tried to get Dorothy with the flying monkeys, but I think using them to conquer the world is a better idea. Unfortunately, I haven't found a place that sells them yet so my plan isn't working out very well…Sorry I'm rambling. The point was that I'm sorry it's short, I'll try to write a longer one next time, and the rant Harry gave to Ron goes to my mom.

Phew! That was long and you really didn't have to read it. If you did, thanks!

If I have included something that's yours, tell me and I'll give credit to whomever it belongs to in the next chapter. Reviewers are always favored…I think you get the hint. R&R PLEASE!

8- ) pixi-styx1221


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